When was the last time you played in a sandbox? If you’re like me, it’s been quite a long time. Yet it’s likely you recall what it was like to “play well with others” within the safe confines of the sandbox. For T. J. Addington, author of Leading from the Sandbox, the sandbox is a metaphor to capture important ministry ideas. They’re so helpful.

In fact, keying off of Addington's sandbox analogy, I’d like you to click here to download what I call the Nav Neighbors Guiding & Defining Ideas illustration. Addington uses four powerful ideas as the sides of a sandbox. They define the boundaries of the organization—what is inside and what is not. Living within the boundaries of the following four ideas gives one a sense of empowerment for ministry and freedom to creatively use his or her gifts and abilities:

Calling: what we ultimately commit to accomplishCentral Ministry Focus: what we need to do day in and day out to accomplish our CallingGuiding Principles: how we commit to operatePreferred Culture: the ethos we need to accomplish the first three areas In children’s sandboxes you will also find such tools as plastic shovels, rakes, and buckets for making sand castles. The Nav Neighbors Sandbox has leadership tools that help us relate well to one another. They include:

Direction: where we are headed

Vision: what we see in the future

Strategy: how we move toward fulfilling our Vision

In short, the Guiding & Defining Ideas illustration provides clarity about who we are, how we do what we do, what we concentrate on, what our preferred culture is, and where we are going.

Living within the boundaries of these ideas should give Nav Neighbors staff freedom to fully exercise their God-given design, creativity, and initiative for ministry and draw out their collaborative skills. I hope they enjoy playing in the Nav Neighbors "sandbox." I hope that they find it as inspirational and motivating as I do!